wttmrwolf

Here are some photos of the last conversion. Took a total of 8 months and about $2000.

Hi Fellow Boaties, I've just picked up an old Savage Pacific 5.1m half cabin. I'm going to convert it to a centre console over the next few months. Here are the before photos. I'll add pictures as the conversion progresses. Feel free to jump in and add suggestions if you so wish. I know its a completely insane project and probably a loss making exercise but hate to see old boats thrown on the scrap heap. I'm going to start this weekend by cutting off the cabin and removing the floor. Ben

Here is a diagram for the Evinrude motor you have. Not sure if I'm allowed to post here, delete this post if crossed that line. Just trying to help. I know what its like when you just want to investigate the issue and you can't find a document you need. Worth getting the shop maintenance manual

I can't wait to get out on the water again. Its been a week since I fell on some oysters and cut my hand. Its not the injury that sucks... its the fact I can't wind a reel or launch a boat. You know you have a fishing addition when not being able to hold a rod is more concerning that being able to do you job or help with kids at home. The craziest part... When I fell, I looked at my hand and saw it ripped to shreds but then I started to worry about my rod being snapped (it survived). My fishing mate was excellent and drove me up to the hospital. I sat there for 3 hours waiting for a tetanus shot and to have the cut cleaned out. Because the cut was so deep I got referred to a hand surgeon. Don't do this at home kids. The hand surgery was more painful than the fall when I woke up from the general anesthetic. Had several large oyster shards removed from the hand and then stitched back up. Very luck not to have done tendon or nerve damage. Walked away from this one. Be careful on those rocks at night (even the rivers need to be shown some respect). I'll get you next time Jewfish ***** Do not click these links if you can't handle blood ****** http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1196220/oysters1.jpg http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1196220/oysters2.jpg

What twin said. Couldn't have put it better myself. Highly recommend avoiding any sinker if you can. The small bait gently drifting down in the water will increase your chances of catching yakka, slimey's. If you are getting too many yakka and you want to get a few more slimey increase the hook size.

I have an HDS-5 with SS. One downside which no-one tells you about is the fact that sometimes when you go out the rivers are devoid of fish. We took a trip up the hacking and didn't cast a lure because there were no decent fish on the SS. Sometimes casting a lure and hoping is more fun than driving up and down the river Great tech, happy to answer any Questions. Ben

I caught a cutta in the hacking last week, didn't know that came into the Estuaries. Gave me a fright when I hauled the 1.5m toothy critter on board.

You might have a new record for Blue Spotted Parrotfish According to that link 38cm is the size they grow to, yours was 40cm!

I was scared you would say something like that. I've heard reports of kings out at 12 mile. No sign of them yet at the Peak. There were about 15 boats at the Peak on Sunday morning but I didn't see anyone hook up. Ben

Excuse my ignorance, where is Texas reef? I've been out at the Peak jigging last 2 weekends for zip. Maybe I need to try Texas

I was thinking the big one was a lone jew and the others on the hump were small snapper or bream. Has anyone got any soundings of kingfish? Interested to see what they look like on the screen.

Hi Fisho's, Can anyone hazard a guess as to what fish these might be? They are both sounder readings from the Hacking. In both pics I'm interested in the fish hanging near the bottom. The depth is 13 meters so maybe that gives you a sense of the scale. Sounder log is high tide middle of the night. Thanks PS if others have sounder logs post them here. Keen to get a chat started to help people understand their sounder output.

Yes the swell was a mess! It was coming from 3 different directions and building. Looking out to sea in the afternoon and it looked dead calm. No one believed me the Peak was lumpy and windy. Turned into a beautiful afternoon but I was off the water early.

We probably drifted past each other. We were in the Haines Hunter 5.2 and left around 9am. There were a few boats turning up and setting up a drift near the big white charter boat. At least you got a few kings. Where did you pickup your livebait if you don't mind saying?

Can anyone suggest a trailer repair guy/gal in the Cronulla/Taren Point vicinity. Unfortunately the person who used to fix trailers for the local fishing club has hurt his back. The boat trailer needs new springs and break pads. PM if you have anyone who can do a good job for a fair price. Ben

Yes its Dr Depth. The most expensive part is the laptop. Thinking of creating an iPhone/iPad version. Are there many fishos using iPhones these days that could use such an app (assuming your sounder can output NMEA 0183)? Ben

It wasn't a total waste of time out at the peak. Starting creating a map of the area. The bait seemed to be spread over a very large area to the north of the pinnacle that rises up to 58m. There were no "strong" signals on the sounder so must not have been many kings about. Also good point about the bait being balled up if they are about and feeding. Here is a view of the peak looking West.

Kings don't seem to be hitting jigs atm. Not even a touch today.

Hi billfisher, You said that so casually, "are you sure they were kings". I have a Lowrance colour sounder, all the fish around the peak tend to show as big solid bait balls with the occasional arch. I went out today, second attempt at jigging for kings. First attempt - 7 hours of back breaking work, today 3 hours. Any tips would be fantastic. Even if they are not at the Peak now, hypothetically, how would kings look on a colour sounder? Would like to learn more specifics about the Peak so I don't have to keep explaining to the why I fall asleep exhausted at 8pm and don't have any fish to show for it

how did you go?

I was up in the Whitsundays last week sailing with the family on a Seawind 1000 catamaran. Brought a ton of gear including 2 light rods and 2 trolling/jig rods. I had high hopes for the week after hearing lots of talk about Spanish Mackerel and Wahoo. I topped up on lures at the local tackle shop in Airlie much to my wife's displeasure. More bloody gear The trip across to the islands was swift in a 35knot howling wind. Kids and wife huddled up in the cabin as our cat submarined through waves and rocked and rolled. I trolled for a total of 40 miles over 4 days for zip. The water was milk coloured because the wind stirred up all the sediment I did have more success on bait at night (while at anchor). Lots of trevally, sweetlips and 1 hammerhead on frozen pilchards. Casting 5" gulps at sunset I had a couple of follows but couldn't get a hookup. While it wasn't a huge fishing success the holiday was fantastic and I can't think of a holiday that compares. Spending 4 days on a 1/2 million dollar boat sailing around beautiful islands, watching sunsets and doing a spot of fishing is worth every penny. Do it! Ben

I was in the same boat as you last year. Could of days in Cairns for work. I took a soft plastics rod and a few bags of gulps. You can fish off the marina wall near the casino. There will be heaps of people there at night. Speak to the kids, some of them are down there every night and have heaps of knowledge. Most of the locals bring a cast net and catch squid/prawns/garfish for live bait. Then they cast out a live bait to target barra. Looking over the edge you can see squid everywhere. They come in because of the lights. The locals thought I was a freak using squid jigs, a few people even asked what I was doing. I got even stranger looks casting pink gulk jerk shads out into the night. After a few hours of fishing managed to hook a school Jewfish. The locals showed a bit more interest in the Gulps after that. I fished until about 2am each night and there were still plenty of local's about. Have fun.

I was catching them in the hacking and on the beaches non stop in January. Haven't seen them since. They were a by-catch when targeting Jewfish. I'll let you know if I see them again. Ben

Hi Fellow Fisherfolk, Disclaimer - I'm not completely crazy in preparing for this weekends comp. Its just more fun preparing gear than watching Desperate Housewive with the . I thought a little preparation couldn't go astray. Lets start with the target species for NSW. For lack of a better place to start this is my guess at the list of species. Flathead Whiting Bream Bass FLATHEAD I'm going to drift the estury channel on Low tide prospecting ahead of the drift using 7" Jerk shads and dragging fresh mullet strips on a modified paternoster rig behind the boat. Might try trolling hard bodies if above technique isn't finding any flathead. On the high tide head offshore and do the same. WHITING Collect fresh worms and nippers on the low and cast out bait on long shank hooks on the high over the flats. BREAM Not much experience here but might try 2" prawn GULP soft plastics and small diving hard bodies around structure as I cruise around looking for flathead. Also might try live nippers if I have some left after the whiting attempts. How is everyone else going with the preparations.

Thanks for all the tips folks... Went for a troll Sunday and picked up 10 Bonito in about 2 hours. They are thick outside at the moment. Picked them up between Botany Bay and Long Bay. The 120mm Yozuri did 100% of the damage.